Namaqualand

Their diamonds are concentrated in alluvial or “placer” deposits comprising old gravel beaches and river channels.

The diamonds are found up to 100 metres below surface, although mining has to date only ventured some 40 metres down.

Jack Carstens found the first diamonds in Namaqualand on the farm Oubeep near Port Nolloth in 1925. A year later, he found diamonds on the farm Kleyne Zee, a freehold at the mouth of the Buffels River.

Mining started on a small scale in January 1927, and this operation was incorporated into the Cape Coast Exploration Company (CCEC), under Chairmanship of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, in 1928. The CCEC was, in turn, incorporated into De Beers in 1941.

Operations were halted from 1932 to 1937 due to a recession in the diamond market, and again from late 1938 till 1943, due to the Second World War.

The farm Kleyne Zee, on which the town Kleinzee was established as operational and administrative centre of the mine, was mined until the late fifties, as mining leases for the other properties that De Beers held in the area could only be obtained in 1956.

Diamonds occur here as a consequence of the break-up of the ancient super-continent of Gondwanaland, which split to form Africa and South America some 130 million years ago.

As the two landmasses moved apart, numerous river systems along the southern African margin drained westward. They brought with them huge quantities of diamonds weathered out from kimberlite deposits located in the hinterland hundreds of kilometres to the east.

All of the diamonds found here are of gem quality and are extracted by open-cast and surf zone mining. Some 31 million carats had been produced by the turn of the 20th century.

The Namaqualand mines started operating in 1928 and currently consist of:

• The Koingnaas Complex between Mitchell's and Somnaas bays
• The Buffels Inland Complex on terraces of the Buffels River inland of Kleinzee
• The Buffels Marine Complex on the raised beaches north of the mouth of the Buffels River

The Namaqualand region’s economy is largely dependent on mining and De Beers works closely with local stakeholders to ascertain their needs.

Through the De Beers Fund, numerous social upliftment initiatives are making a difference to the area. These include agricultural projects, small business development, and education and health care projects.

At this operation seawater is used for all treatment and no harmful chemicals or additives are used.

The Namaqualand mines are ISO 14001 certified and constantly work towards creating a sustainable environment.

Examples include: 

• Establishing a conservation club to manage the reserve situated between Kleinzee and Koingnaas
• Incorporating 30 000 hectares of De Beers land into the Namaqua National Park
• Establishing an archaeological research programme
• Being involved in the oyster catcher and black harrier surveys